This regulation was made with the aim of establishing procedures and principles with respect to the evaluation of the proposal, acceptance, support, and implementation of the services which fall within specific areas of responsibility, as well as the monitoring and evaluation of the results, and the release into the public arena of information about Scientific Research Projects which are administered by teaching staff and researchers who have completed their doctorate programmes with a specialty in medicine, or competence in art, in a Higher Education Institutions.

In the terms of this regulation; Higher Education Institution denotes the Universities and High Technology Institutions. Administrative Board of Higher Education Institution denotes the Administrative Board of the University and High Technology Institution. Commission denotes the Commission of Scientific Research Projects.

Scientific Research Projects are defined as projects which will contribute to science in their field at a universal and national level when completed, which are expected to provide a contribution to the technological, economic, social and cultural development of the country, have a scientific content, and which can be carried out with the participation of internal or external Higher Education institutions, as well as national and/or international institutions or organizations.

The Project Administrators, who propose the project and who are responsible for its preparation and management, are specified as members of the teaching staff and researchers who have completed their doctorate programme with a specialty in medicine or competence in art. The Researcher is a member of the teaching staff who has been registered as a member of the project team by the administrator of the project for the purposes of the management of the scientific research project.

The Commission is founded under the presidency of the Rector, or a Vice-Rector assigned by the Rector. The Commission consists of the Heads of the Institutions of Science, Health Sciences, Social Sciences and Education Sciences, as well as members of the teaching staff (min 3, max. 7) who have an established international reputation, and who are designated by the Rector at the suggestion of the Senate, in order to provide management of the duties, including the aims and scope of projects, as described in the first paragraph. Commission Members are appointed for four years, with decisions regarding their selection taking into account the balance between the different the disciplines existing in the Higher Education Institution. Members who have reached the end of their terms may be reappointed by the same mechanism. In the case of any commission member discontinuing their main duties, their duties in the commission will automatically end. The duties, authorities and responsibilities of the Commission are explained in detail in the regulations which will be issued by the Senate of the relevant Higher Education Institution.

The schedule for the evaluation and implementation of Research Projects will be established according to the decision of the Commission every year. Project Applications may be made using the Project Application Form, including details about the project’s purpose, priority, budget, and a detailed list of personnel.

Research Projects are evaluated and selected according to the following priorities; The targets of the Five Year Development Plan related to the disciplines of each Higher Education Institution which possesses an expert staff. Subjects which are appropriate to the science policy of the university, as determined by the Administrative Board of the Higher Education Institution and the national science policy. Research Projects which make a contribution to universal and national science, and to the technological, economic, social and cultural development of the country.

During the selection and support of Research Projects, priority will be given to projects which have a substantial fundamental science content, have the aim of producing results which will have practical applications, which encourage broad participation in terms of their sources and actions, are multi-centric, and which have inter-institutional, international and inter-disciplinary qualities. Post-graduate thesis research may be supported within the scope of research projects.

For the projects which the commission decides to support, a Protocol, which provides details of the Project, is prepared by the project administrator and the commission. Whether the project is realised depends on the approval of the protocol by the authorising officer in charge of disbursement. The project administrator is obliged to abide by the terms of the protocol.

The project administrator of an accepted project is required to present interim reports containing details of work done to the commission every six months. The interim reports are reviewed by the commission. The continuation of financial support for the following year of the Project is dependant on a positive report from the Commission.

At the end of each year, a summary is issued by the Rectorate giving information to the Presidency of the Higher Education Council about the projects which are being supported, continued, and completed. This information is announced to public via the internet.

The sources of income detailed below, which are intended to finance scientific research projects, are provided on condition that they are recorded both as special income on the budget of the relevant Higher Education Institution by the Ministry of Finance, and as a special allocation to the related parts that will be opened.

a) Sums will be transferred according to rates which will be determined by the Administrative Board of the Higher Education Institution, on condition that they are not less than 10% of all kinds of gross revenue which are acquired from the Revolving Funds of the Higher Education Institution –without considering direct or indirect contributions from the teaching staff,

b) Income from Scientific Research Projects,

c) Donations and contributions which are made for Scientific Research Projects,

d) Sums paid by the relevant organizations for research to be conducted jointly by the higher education institution, and national or international organisations with the permission of the Higher Education Council.

e) Other income. Sums which are specified as being income belonging to Scientific Research Projects in article (a), will be paid into the account of the Budget Directorate from the accounts of the Revolving Fund in the first week of the month following the month in which it becomes available. The Provisions of Law No. 6183 (Collection of Public Claims) will be applied to the collection of sums which are not paid in punctually. The sums described above which are paid into the account of the Budget Directorate will be recorded in the budget of the relevant Higher Education Institution as special income, and as special allocations to the current or to the relevant parts that will be opened. Thus, the Ministry of Finance is authorized to transfer the unspent amounts which are recorded as allocations within each year to the following year’s budget as special income and allocation by transfer.

Sums which are recorded as special allocations in accordance with the essential operations and procedures stated above, and allocations which are paid into the budget of the Higher Education Institution with this aim, are to be used for the needs of scientific research projects on condition that they are limited to the duration of the project. These may include; Staff expenses, travelling expenses, procurement of services, consumer goods and materials, purchase of inventory items, machinery and equipment, as well as other expenses related to the Project. Regarding changes to scientific research projects which are included in the investment programme, decisions concerning the application, coordination and monitoring of the Programme for each year will be implemented. Those sums which will be paid by special allocations from the investment characterized scientific research projects may be used after they are assigned to an investment project by the Under-secretariat of the State Planning Organization, after being recorded as special income and special allocations.

The maximum advance and credit amounts which will be made available to trustees of scientific research projects will be decided every year by the administrative board of the higher education institution as 6 times the financial limits allocated to cities, in accordance with the table in item (A-a) of the 83rd article of Law No. 1050 of the Budget Law. Each trustee is obliged to provide to the accountants documentary evidence of sums spent out of advance payments within one month at the most, and to provide documentary evidence of the amount spent from credits which were made available for a maximum of three months. The trustee is required to complete the accounting procedures by returning any remaining amounts from the advance payments and the credit, providing documentary evidence of expenses which have not yet been accounted for, and returning any surplus money to the accountants on completion of the work, or at the end of the financial year if that is sooner. Unless the accounting procedures are carried out in this way, advance payments and credit can not be given again for the same work, and credit cannot be provided. The provisions of Law No. 6183 (Procedure for Collection of Assets) are applied to the trustees who do not carry out the accounting procedures in respect of advance payments. When carrying out advance payment and credit operations, documents required by the appendix of The Government Expenditure Document Regulations must be provided.

For advance payment and credit operations within the scope of Scientific Research Projects, a trustee is assigned to the projects which are being carried out in each unit such as; Faculties, high schools, and institutes which are associated with the Higher Education Institution, and for projects which are being carried out in different locations. Following an appeal on the grounds that there are insufficient trustees, the Ministry of Finance is authorized to increase the number.

Equipment which is purchased within the scope of the Project will be debited to the trustee responsible for the property of the relevant unit in accordance with the documentary record.

Research projects must be completed within 3 years. Following a request from the Project administrator, additional time or additional resources may be made available at the discretion of the Commission for Scientific Research Projects. Up to 1 year of additional time, and/or up to the 50% of the total project cost may be provided.

The copyright of the scientific results which are obtained from projects shall be the property of the higher education institution.

General provisions are implemented in cases which are not covered by this regulation.

The regulation regarding the Management Principles and Use of the Research Funds of Universities, which was established in accordance with 58th Article of Law No. 2547, which was published on 20.05.1984 in edition 18406 of the Official Gazette, has been annulled.

This regulation, which was prepared on the advice of the Ministry of Finance and the Court of Accounts, became valid on the date of publication, on the understanding that it was valid from 01.01.2002.

The President of the Higher Education Council and the University Rectors are responsible for the application of this Regulation.